Cowl louver

Abstract

A cowl louver for a vehicle permits fresh air to flow into an air intake and prevents entry of snow into the air intake. The cowl louver has a plate-like shaped base and includes at least one mesh portion, formed on the base, in which are formed a plurality of tapered air holes. Each tapered air hole is formed so that the direction of taper is directed inwardly with the larger opening facing to the exterior. Each tapered air hole has a rate of taper that is greater than about 0.1 per each mm of thickness of the mesh portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A perforated cowl louver for use as an air inlet to an air system for a motor vehicle comprising: a plate-like shaped base having a thickness T mm; and   at least one mesh member integrally formed with said base;   said at least one mesh member having formed therein a plurality of truncated conically shaped through holes, each of said truncated conically shaped through holes having an exterior opening and an inner opening that is smaller in diameter than said exterior opening thereof so that the through holes taper toward an interior area, with each of said truncated conically shaped through holes also having a rate of taper of L/T that is greater than 0.1 per each mm of thickness where L equals   (exterior opening diameter-inner opening diameter) /2.       
     
     
       2. A cowl louver as set forth in claim 1, wherein the diameter of each inner opening ranges between 2.3 mm to 3.2 mm, T varies between 2.0 mm to 3.0 mm, and L ranges from 0.3 mm to 0.5 mm.